


Before the March

by Ludella



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Morning Cuddles, Sleepy Kisses, just pure fluff, well not implied but referenced
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 17:51:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20262109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ludella/pseuds/Ludella
Summary: Hubert and Ferdinand enjoy their last peaceful morning together before the Black Eagles set out for Fhiridiad.





	Before the March

**Author's Note:**

> they're in love and i wrote this in like two hours

****Hubert opens the door as quietly as possible, careful to cover the light streaming in with his body. As soon as he sees the person laying in bed across the room, still blissfully asleep and unaware he’s returned, a smile comes to Hubert’s face. He closes the door behind him just as silently as he entered.

He’s gotten quite used to this routine. Even though Ferdinand carries the third most important role to Edelgard’s army behind Hubert and Byleth, his work is not that which requires him to pull long nights frequently like Hubert would. 

Ferdinand’s prowess off the battlefield comes through his words and dainty penmanship, crafting clever and cunning letters to their allies and helping control the flow of information to their other stations across the empire. All, of course, done under Lady Edelgard’s careful instruction, though it isn’t unusual that they should argue first before anything is done.

Hubert wants to laugh at the thought as he slithers out of his overcoat and boots, undressing to his slacks. Recently, Ferdinand and Edelgard’s disputes have become much more entertaining now that Hubert is less wary of the man’s intentions. While he might disagree with the way he goes about helping Edelgard directly, he cannot say he doesn’t understand the necessity of somebody willing to stand up to their empress directly. It also can’t be said that their quarrels don’t lead to results.

Funny, how that man who is able to stand up to the most powerful woman in the world is laying before him in bed, snoring peacefully with his face pressed into a pillow--_Hubert’s_ pillow, he realizes with a sense of satisfaction. Ferdinand sprawls out in his sleep as if needing to accommodate the larger bed they share now, making it all the more difficult for Hubert to try and climb back under the sheets without alerting him. It would be nice to just sit in silence and appreciate Ferdinand’s handsome face while he isn’t awake to irk him or pick a fight with some petty noble.

But, he decides, the sleepy smile that comes to Ferdinand’s face when he opens his eyes and sees Hubert crawling into bed is pretty good too. Ferdinand opens his mouth to say something but is overtaken by a yawn instead. Hubert cringes and covers his mouth with an ungloved hand. “Your breath reeks.”

“You’re lying,” Ferdinand says smoothly, finally scooting back onto his side of the bed to make room for Hubert to lie down as well. It’s somewhat comforting to rest his head on his pillow and find it’s already warm from Ferdinand’s use. “I’ve drank nothing but tea for the past few days trying to deal with these nobles before we leave, I am as fragrant as Pegasus Moon roses.”

Hubert huffs a small laugh at the groggy nonsense pouring from his lover’s mouth. Even if he didn’t stay up all night like Hubert had, Ferdinand still went to sleep later than other generals, and it’s quite evident he hasn’t had as much rest as he’d prefer by how his eyelids threaten to drift shut at any moment.

“Are we leaving soon?” he asks, already lifting the top sheet that’s covering him before Hubert gently grabs his wrist.

“Soon, but not yet,” Hubert answers while covering Ferdinand back up. He doesn’t resist the kind gesture and nestles his head back down into his pillow. “Rest for now. There’ll be no time to slack off once we’re on the road.”

“Nonsense, there’s never any time for slacking off with you around.”

And yet Ferdinand curls up further into the blankets, even going so far as to lift the sheets from his side of the bed and cover Hubert’s form, too, sentencing him to rest as well. By the time he’s brought the blankets up to Hubert’s shoulders, Ferdinand’s arm is already wrapped behind his back, and he leaves it there more out of laziness than any romantic gesture. It’s Hubert who makes it romantic by wrapping his arms around Ferdinand’s waist and stifles another laugh at how he is struggling to keep his eyelids open. “Sleep, I said this is your only chance,” he insists, but Ferdinand shakes his head.

The muscled arm around his back tightens, bringing them together until their chests are touching and Ferdinand’s morning breath is all Hubert can breathe. It does smell surprisingly like tea, not half as unpleasant as he’d teased earlier. “And when are we going to get this chance again?” Ferdinand asks.

Hubert bites the inside of his cheek.

There isn’t a good answer and they both know it.

Instead, Ferdinand leans in closer until their noses are rubbing, and Hubert meets his lips halfway. He can feel a pleased sigh from Ferdinand’s nose rush over his cheeks and relishes in the noise that almost sounds like a moan. Their mouths move together lazily, both exhausted, both well aware that this may be the only chance they have at privacy for the next upcoming weeks. Trials and tribulations of being on the road aside, the largest battle of their lives is waiting at the end of that long journey. The unspoken strain that puts on their relationship doesn’t even need to be mentioned at this point.

Hubert curls his fingers into the light sleep shirt at Ferdinand’s waist, rubbing circles into his skin more than any lewd touch suggesting more. With the time they have, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to try and have sex once or twice before they leave. It’s certainly something they’ll seldom have the chance to do on the road when they’re both surrounded by soldiers and focused on serving their empress. 

But Ferdinand’s touches also remain chaste as fingertips run lightly along his back, his lips and tongue slow and undemanding as they push and pull at each other. It’s a languid and steady tide between them, pulling bottom lips into the other’s mouth, their tongues content to slide against each other.

No, this is enough for right now. Lying in their bed, cozy and making out for hours on end is more than enough. Usually it’s the opposite, and they don’t have time for anything but a quick round when Hubert returns to their room before they go to sleep. It’s rare that they would ever take the time to enjoy just lying in bed, not seeking further pleasures and indulging in simple kisses. In fact, this may be the first time they have.

Ferdinand’s hands smooth down his back, over his sides, and up Hubert’s chest until he’s cupping his jaw delicately, in a way nobody’s ever touched him before. When he pulls back for a moment just to smile at Hubert, eyes lidded and heavy, Hubert thinks for a moment that it would be wise to jump out of bed and run away. It’s still somewhat terrifying how he cannot control the beating of his own heart, the heat that rises to his face, or the pure desire to disobey orders and just lie here all day with this man who dares to fill his mind when it should be concerned with nothing but his empress.

Somehow being like this, their faces close and simply staring at one another, feels more intimate and explicit than any sex they’ve ever had. In the same way he can find himself reflected in Ferdinand’s eyes and believe that he trusts this man, that he _knows_ him so much better than himself, he knows the same must be running through Ferdinand’s mind. Hubert cannot help but swallow hard, attempting to overcome an uncomfortable lump in his throat.

Then he returns the smile, watching as Ferdinand’s grin grows in response until he’s flashing a full set of bright white teeth. It only disappears the moment they kiss again, though Hubert swears he can still see it in the fingers running over his jaw and cheekbones or the legs that tangle with his. 

Never has he known simple pleasures like this, much less was he ever taught how to go about it. It should be stressful, not knowing how to express or receive affection from somebody else like this for the first time in his life. He had always been prepared to marry himself off to some foreign noble as a tool for Edelgard’s success with little consideration for love or happiness in wedlock. He should be afraid of these new emotions, or trying to handle this oddly blossoming love life he’s stumbled upon while waging war across the continent.

And yet somehow, he isn’t.

Bringing Ferdinand into his life has been… comforting, to use a word that by no means conveys the extent of his emotions. He once thought it might be impossible to devote himself to a relationship when he has so much focus and loyalty towards Edelgard, that it would be a betrayal of her trust to let his mind wander from their quest even slightly. 

But if Hubert is her right hand, then Ferdinand is her left. Almost every council and meeting they hold, Ferdinand is close by. He’s probably the only other person who could comprehend and reflect his unwavering loyalty to Edelgard, and with their mutual promise to help their empress with their combined talents, Hubert doesn’t feel so guilty indulging in each other.

Except it isn’t anything so baseless as “indulging” at all, whatever mere carnal desires that might imply. He would be a fool to try and convince himself they are only together out of convenience, not when they share a bed, not when they prepare each other’s drink in the morning rather than their own and intertwine their pinkies secretly during meetings. When they are the last to leave the room apart from Edelgard, she might occasionally throw them a knowing smile, and Hubert might even smile back.

Ferdinand pushes himself up onto an elbow and slowly rolls on top of Hubert, kissing sweetly into his mouth in a way that counteracts the bitterness of the coffee he’s been drinking nonstop for weeks now. They move unhurriedly, not trying to rush a thing as they enjoy a single moment of respite before they’re carted off to war once more.

Hubert opens his eyes during the kiss to see if light has appeared in the window yet and finds himself enveloped in bright orange curtains. He can’t see anything besides the amber waterfalls surrounding them, along with the eyelashes across Ferdinand’s eye. They only have a limited time left together. Eventually, the bells will toll and bring the monastery to life. They will set out and march to their deaths once more. He lifts his hands to cup Ferdinand’s face, holding him close so that they might not separate. 

Then, Hubert begins to count eyelashes one by one.

**Author's Note:**

> i love these two boys and a million other fire emblem ships, currently taking requests on my tumblr [@ludella](https://ludella.tumblr.com/ask)
> 
> also have twitter [@dreisang](https://twitter.com/dreisang)


End file.
